Small mosquito orchid facts for kids

The Acianthus pusillus, also known as the small mosquito orchid, is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the orchid family called Orchidaceae. This tiny orchid is only found in Australia, which means it is endemic there.

It's a plant that grows in the ground and has a single leaf shaped like a heart. Its flowers are small, usually green or pinkish, and look a bit see-through. They often have reddish marks. The bottom part of the flower, called the labellum, can be green or reddish-purple. You can find this orchid in many moist places across central-eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania.

What Does It Look Like?

The small mosquito orchid is a plant that lives for many years. It grows from the ground and loses its leaves in some seasons. It has one dark green leaf shaped like a heart, which is smooth and reddish-purple underneath. This leaf is about 12 to 32 millimeters (about 0.5 to 1.3 inches) long and 10 to 30 millimeters (about 0.4 to 1.2 inches) wide. It sits on a stalk that is 30 to 80 millimeters (about 1.2 to 3.1 inches) tall.

Its Unique Flowers

This orchid can have up to 18 flowers on a thin stem, which can be 30 to 180 millimeters (about 1.2 to 7.1 inches) tall. Each flower is 8 to 12 millimeters (about 0.3 to 0.5 inches) long. They are usually green or pinkish and look see-through, with reddish lines and spots.

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is shaped like an egg and covers the center of the flower. The side sepals are long and narrow, pointing forward. The petals are small, about 2.5 to 3 millimeters (about 0.1 inches) long, and point backward. They have a red stripe in the middle.

The labellum (the special lip of the orchid flower) is about 4 to 4.5 millimeters (about 0.16 to 0.18 inches) wide. It's shaped like a heart or oval and is slightly curved. A thick, fleshy part called a callus covers most of the labellum. This callus sometimes has many tiny bumps on it.

When Does It Flower?

The small mosquito orchid usually flowers from March to August. After flowering, it produces an oval-shaped seed pod, which is about 7 to 8 millimeters (about 0.28 to 0.31 inches) long.

This orchid is different from a similar one, the gnat orchid (A. exsertus), because its leaf and flowers are usually smaller. Its labellum is also much smaller.

How Did It Get Its Name?

The scientific name Acianthus pusillus was first officially described by a botanist named David Jones in 1991. The word pusillus comes from Latin and means "very small." This name was chosen because both the flowers and the plant itself are quite tiny.

Where Does It Live?

This orchid is found in many different places across Australia. It likes moist areas, from the edges of rainforests to open heathlands on hills.

You can find it in:

• Parts of Queensland
• Many areas of New South Wales, including the coast and tablelands
• Southern parts of Victoria
• Various regions of South Australia, including the Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island
• Tasmania

Is It Safe?

Good news! The small mosquito orchid is not considered to be in danger in New South Wales. It's a widespread and common plant in many of its habitats.